OSHA Forms 300, 300A, and 301: What You Need to Know
Recordkeeping is required by OSHA. There are three forms that must be prepared and, in most cases, sent to OSHA: forms 300, 300A, and 301. This guide will tell you their purpose, what information is required, and the process for submitting them to OSHA.
Keeping incident records is an essential safety practice. Records help employers understand trends and monitor the effectiveness of their safety programs. When used as part of a complete safety program, recordkeeping can identify current problems and help prevent future injuries.
What Incidents Must Be Recorded?
It is important to have a strong understanding of what events constitute recordable injuries and illnesses under OSHA’s standard 29 CFR 1904. For an injury or illness to be recordable, the following questions must be answered affirmatively:
(1). Did the employee experience an illness or injury?
(2). Is it a new case?
An injury or illness constitutes a new case if it occurs to an employee with no previously recorded injuries, or no previously reported injuries to the part of the body that is currently affected.
Injuries must also be designated as a new case if an employee receives an injury to the same body part as a previous injury that has completely healed.
(3). Is the case work related?
A work-related case is defined as a case in which an exposure or event in the workplace caused or contributed to an injury or illness. The work environment includes all locations where employees are working or are present as a condition of employment. Tools and work-related materials are also considered part of the work environment.
OSHA's definition of a recordable injury:
OSHA defines a recordable injury or illness as:
Any work-related fatality.
Any work-related injury or illness that results in loss of consciousness, days away from work, restricted work, or transfer to another job.
Any work-related injury or illness requiring medical treatment beyond first aid.
Any work-related diagnosed case of cancer, chronic irreversible disease, fractured or cracked bones or teeth, and punctured eardrums.
Note: special recording criteria apply to work-related cases involving needlesticks and sharps injuries, medical removal, hearing loss, and tuberculosis.
OSHA's Nine Exceptions:
OSHA names nine exceptions in which an injury or illness occurs in the workplace but is not recordable:
The employee was present in the work environment as a member of the general public at the time of the exposure (including after-hours or social events).
Signs and symptoms of an illness become evident at work but are solely the effects of events or exposures that occurred outside of work.
The injury results from voluntary participation in a wellness program or activity, such as exercise classes.
The injury or illness results from food or drink prepared for personal consumption. Note: if food supplied by the employer is contaminated or results in food poisoning, it is a work-related injury.
The injury occurs while an employee is doing personal tasks unrelated to their job, outside of working hours.
The injury is intentionally self-inflicted or is the result of personal grooming.
The injury is the result of a motor vehicle accident that occurs on a company access road or parking lot while the employee is commuting to or from work.
The injury is the common cold or flu.
The injury is the result of mental illness. Note: A mental illness can be considered work-related if an employee voluntarily supplies an opinion from a doctor or other licensed healthcare professional that states it is work-related.
Form 300
OSHA Form 300, Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses (often referred to as the “OSHA log”), collects and classifies information about work-related injuries and illnesses.
For each case of injury, Form 300 records:
The injured employee identification and job title
The incident date
A description of the injury (including the affected body part and the object that caused the injury)
The location at the worksite where the injury occurred
The severity of the case
Severity falls into one of four categories:
Death
Days away from work
Job transfer or restriction
All other recordable cases
For category 2, you must enter the number of days the injured or ill worker missed work entirely or was on restricted work activity. This includes all calendar days, whether the employee was scheduled to work or not, up to a maximum of 180 days. If new information becomes available, you may update the log by crossing out or correcting entries; you do not need to start a new form.
Form 301
Form 301 is the Injury and Illness Report. This form is completed for each individual case, whereas Form 300 is the composite log.
Both forms 300 and 301 must be updated as incidents occur. Form 301 must be filled out within 7 days of an injury or illness.
You can complete Form 301 by summarizing information entered on Form 300. If equivalent information already appears on insurance or other internal forms, you do not need to fill out Form 301 separately; provided that all information required by Form 301 is present in those documents.
You can complete Form 301 by summarizing information entered on Form 300.
Form 300A
Form 300A is the Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses.
Form 300A summarizes all injury and illness incidents by transferring totals from Form 300. All incidents listed on Form 300 must be counted and listed as totals on Form 300A, even if the total is zero.
Form 300A must contain the signature of a company official verifying that the information has been reviewed and is correct. The company official must be the owner of the company, an officer of the corporation, the highest-ranking company official at the establishment, or that person’s supervisor.
Employee Involvement
Employee involvement is an essential and often overlooked component of a compliant recordkeeping program.
For recordkeeping to achieve its intended purpose, employees must be involved. This includes training workers to accurately report all injuries and illnesses, no matter how slight, and assuring them that they can report without fear of retaliation.
OSHA’s recordkeeping standard contains provisions that encourage employees to report all relevant information. Employers are forbidden from retaliating against employees who report information to OSHA, whether through firing, demotion, or other means. Employees must be informed that they have this protection. OSHA worker protection posters should be posted throughout your facility, so workers are aware of their rights.
Submitting Information to OSHA and Keeping Records
The type and amount of data that must be submitted to OSHA depends on:
The size of the company
The type of industry
Businesses with 250 or more employees in an industry covered by the recordkeeping regulation must electronically submit information from Forms 300, 300A, and 301.
Businesses with 200-249 employees in industries with historically high rates of occupational injuries and illnesses must electronically submit information from Form 300A. The complete list of higher-risk industries can be found on OSHA’s website.
Businesses that maintain fewer than 20 employees throughout the year do not have to routinely submit information electronically to OSHA, unless OSHA makes a written request.
Keeping and Storing Records
Records must be kept for 5 years and posted in a visible location from February 1st to April 30th following the year covered by the summary. Any employee or employee representative has the right to limited access to injury and illness records in a timely manner. This information must be provided by the end of the next business day following the request.
Recordkeeping is an integral part of any workplace safety program. Diligent recordkeeping allows employers to identify potential problem areas and implement necessary safety changes.
